Joe Connor, a versatile defender whose father and grandfather both played for County, has joined the ailing Edgeley Park outfit on non-contract forms after impressing Gannon and his assistant Willie McStay in training.
Connor’s dad, Jim, appeared twice for County in the 1978/79 season before embarking on a long and successful non-League career with Mossley and Witton Albion, while his grandad was none other than Hatters’ legend Jack Connor.
Joe has so far played most of his football in the States and last season featured for Charlotte Eagles, primarily at centre-half but also occasionally as a holding midfielder, but is now keen to make his mark in English soccer.
Gannon said: “Joe is a natural defender with a real appetite to win the ball and, at 6ft 1in, he certainly has the physical attributes to do well for us here at County.
“With recent injuries to Carl Piergianni and Nabil Brahim-Bounab, it was important for us to strengthen in the defensive area and, hopefully, in signing Joe, we’ve done that.
“With his family ties at the club, he already has the desire to succeed here. That can only to be to his advantage – and ours.”
Connor was signed too late to feature in the Hatters’ 2-1 FA Trophy first-round replay defeat at Stalybridge Celtic on Tuesday.
But he is expected to be included in Gannon’s squad for this weekend’s critical Blue Square Bet Premier basement battle with Alfreton at Edgeley Park.
If defeat at Bower Fold was a bitter pill to swallow, especially with County falling to a last-minute goal, it will pale into insignificance should County fail to avoid a sixth successive league loss when they square up to their Derbyshire visitors on Saturday.
Next-to-bottom Alfreton currently trail Stockport by two points but, in stark contrast to the Hatters, have recently been showing signs of a revival.
Victory would give County a huge boost ahead of their back-to-back festive season clashes with Barrow and might even lift them out of the drop-zone. Tweet
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I knew Jack when I was a lad selling scatch tickets or whatever they were to raise funds for County, Jack was my "gaffer". A real gent and an incredible goalscorer. Him and Alf Lythgoe, if I remember my football records, two of only four players to ever hit hat-tricks three games in a row. Both players truly part of the proud history of Stockport County.
His grandson sounds like he could be just what we need in the centre of defence. Can't help thinking what if though, what if he could score goals like Jack? Bloody hell, we wouldn't be worried about conceding!
Come on County, that win's coming, I can feel it in my water :)